“Ciliegiolo”, Toscana Rosso

Formerly, the family’s small plantings of Ciliegiolo were blended into their flagship red wine; after all, the variety is notoriously difficult to ripen fully. However, given the dramatic warming of the climate in recent years, Giovanna and Stefano have begun producing a separate bottling of Ciliegiolo, showcasing its boisterous character in purezza. This wine macerated for three weeks—among their briefest macerations (Ciliegiolo possesses thick skins and a great deal of phenolic material)—and spent two years in a combination of concrete and steel before being bottled with no additions. Spice-drenched jet-black fruits are buoyed by tangy acidity and corseted by warm, fuzzy tannins, and the whole thing pulses with energy.